At the tournament...The Mystery fighter raised it's hand and cast the wooden sword to the ground, signalling the end of the match with William.
The helmet was removed, and cast away...to reveal a young blonde woman with a slim, well muscled build, quite pretty-but she favors William with an intense look that unsettled those of weaker constitution.
"You are everything she said you would be. Worthy. I have something for you, William."She chuckled, and stepped toward William, reaching inside her waistcoat...and pulling out a single green rose, with a written letter attached. She smiled, handed it to him gingerly, and bowed.
Happy Birthday William...
...I've always got an eye on you, my friend...
...So, take care of yourself until we meet again, why don't you?
Tala Alanis
P.s: The Woman is also a gift. I'm sure you can find a use for her. She's an admirer of yours...
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In the library...Tala was looking for a certain book on royal geneology...and wasn't paying much attention to the man behind her. About 17 seconds passed before she raised her head, sniffling at something, a half remembered scent. Her memory brought vivid back images, sounds, smells-the bar in Dalannor that smelled of the acrid tang of sea salt, the violinist with the bad cough, the barmans bright green tufts of tobacco leaf spilled on his bright red jacket, and...
She said it out loud, as if saying his name might summon him from thin air.
"Pasha."Then she turned around, wondering if he would be there-of course he was, standing silently in the doorway, a smile playing around his mouth. That man! Well groomed ginger hair that had begun to darken ever so slightly around the edges, a set of broad shoulders framing his soldiers physique, and of course dark green eyes-which had always seemed so strange and familiar to her.
She took a moment to straighten out her clothes and hair, all too cognizant of the fact he was watching her with the old interest. She did so slowly, deliberately. They had played such games before, to mutual delight.
Then she crossed the room. They spent a few minutes regarding each other. 'Tala' broke the silence first, as she often did.
"Pasha...It's been much too long."She sighed, and embraced him for a bit longer than a mere friend might.
Then punched him in the arm jokingly.
"..and, You cad! Standing there, staring at an innocent noblewoman...like a villian." She smiled cagily. That last word had certain interesting connotations between them. She was hardly innocent, and he was hardly a villian-and yet, they were, in different ways.
Though she was hungry to hear him speak the name she was born with-Pasha was the only one she had trusted with her real name-she knew how careful they had to be. So very careful. He was cunning though. No one had caught them yet-at least, anyone that had lived very long.